Ontario Expands Its Sports Betting Markets

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has now announced that it has begun to seek assistance with its plans to expand its online sports betting operations in the New Year. This will no doubt come as exciting news for Canadian betting fans in Ontario, who up to date have had a limited selection of betting markets from which to choose.

The betting expansion will be supported through a third party firm, and will see live action being taken during local and international sports events. The firm in question also wants to expand to cover eSports and novelty wager provision, including political bets and wagers on the results of game shows.

Ontario is taking these steps towards a wider regulated betting market in order to compete with other Canadian provinces like British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec. These provinces already offer such services to their local punters under their more progressive sports betting regimes.

Province Looking To Compete

Commenting on the upcoming expansion, OLG spokesman Tony Bitonti noted that OLG’s sports offerings will include a variety of new offerings that will provide punters with more betting options on a wider range of sports events, including major North American leagues and popular international sports.

Charles Sousa, the Finance Minister of Ontario, also noted in a recent press statement that the government of Ontario has been investigating a strategy of modernisation. According to Sousa, the strategy in question will include both an expansion and increased protection of punters’ activities.

Move To Curb Unregulated Betting

The Minister explained that a large percentage of online gambling in the province is unregulated, and many people, including young children, are being exposed to it as a result. In his capacity, Sousa said, he has a social responsibility here to ensure that the state re-invests in programmes and innovations that will help punters with gambling addictions.

On the other hand, willing punters will soon be able to enjoy a much wider selection of regulated betting activities in Ontario, which will both protect their safety and guarantee that their rightful returns are paid out promptly and fairly.

So far, the expansion seems as though it will be beneficial to all parties involved – but this remains to be seen when the strategy is rolled out early next year.